The Chesterfield football history resource

Sid Ottewell, who served Chesterfield FC as an inside-forward either side of the Second World War, died in Kimberley, Notts, on January 31st, 2012. Born at Holbrook, near Clay Cross, on October 23rd
1919, Sid joined Chesterfield from
Holbrook Miners’ Welfare in November 1936. He made pleasing progress with the
“A” team and reserves, and was a member of the Chesterfield “A” side that
recorded a 20-0 win over Sutton Town in April 1938 - the biggest win we’ve
found by any Chesterfield XI.

Sid made his first-team
debut at the age of seventeen and a half and completed three Football League
appearances before the outbreak of war in September 1939. He joined the RAF as a physical training
instructor, and was demobbed in March 1946.

During the course of the war Sid
guested for Fulham, Spurs, Blackpool, Bradford City, Birmingham and Chester, as
postings permitted.

Slight, but with
determination and good close control, Sid had a powerful shot and was the
Spireites' joint top-scorer as they achieved their highest League position in
1946-7. His 12 Chesterfield goals came
from 39 games, but ten of those saw Sid play in a less attacking role at
left-half.

With the club
losing £100 a week they cashed in on Sid in June 1947, selling him to
Birmingham for £5,000. He went on to play for Luton Town, Nottingham Forest,
Mansfield Town and Scunthorpe United, bowing out of league football with 52
goals from 191 games. His non-league career included spells at Spalding and
Heanor Town, and he managed the Lockheed Leamington side between 1960 and 1964.

After finishing
with football Sid settled in Nottingham. He maintained an active interest in football right up to the time of his
passing, and could be seen at both the City Ground and Meadow Lane as a
spectator. At the time of his death Sid was believed to be Chesterfield’s
oldest surviving player.